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15 The wealth of the rich is the city of his strength;
    the ruin of the poor is their poverty.

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15 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city,(A)
    but poverty is the ruin of the poor.(B)

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24 There is one who gives yet grows richer,[a]
    but he who withholds what is right[b] only finds need.
25 A person of blessing will be enriched,
    and he who gives water also will be refreshed.
26 He who withholds grain, the people curse him,
    but a blessing is for the head of him who sells.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 11:24 Literally “adding more”
  2. Proverbs 11:24 Literally “from what is right”

24 One person gives freely, yet gains even more;
    another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

25 A generous(A) person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.(B)

26 People curse the one who hoards grain,
    but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell.

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23 There is much food in the field of the poor,
    but it is swept away[a] by injustice.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 13:23 Literally “there is sweeping away”
  2. Proverbs 13:23 Literally “no justice”

23 An unplowed field produces food for the poor,
    but injustice sweeps it away.

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25 The house of the proud, Yahweh will tear it down,
    but he will maintain the property line[a] of the widow.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 15:25 Literally “boundary”

25 The Lord tears down the house of the proud,(A)
    but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.(B)

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He who mocks the poor insults him who made him;
    he who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.

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Whoever mocks the poor(A) shows contempt for their Maker;(B)
    whoever gloats over disaster(C) will not go unpunished.(D)

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Wealth adds many friends,
    but the poor will be left by his friends.

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Wealth attracts many friends,
    but even the closest friend of the poor person deserts them.(A)

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All the brothers of the poor, if they hate him,
    how much more will his friends keep away from him.
    He pursues them with words, and they are gone.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:7 Or “when he pursues words and not them”

The poor are shunned by all their relatives—
    how much more do their friends avoid them!(A)
Though the poor pursue them with pleading,
    they are nowhere to be found.[a](B)

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 19:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.

17 He who lends to Yahweh is he who is kind to the poor,
    and his benefits he will repay to him.

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17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,(A)
    and he will reward them for what they have done.(B)

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13 He who closes his ear from the cry of the poor,
    he also will cry out and not be heard.

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13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor
    will also cry out(A) and not be answered.(B)

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He who is generous[a] will be blessed,
    for he gives to the poor from his own bread.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:9 Literally “the generous of eye”

The generous will themselves be blessed,(A)
    for they share their food with the poor.(B)

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16 He who oppresses the poor in order to enrich himself,
    or gives to the rich, will come to poverty.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:16 Literally “only loss”

16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth
    and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

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22 Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
    and do not crush the afflicted at the gate;
23 For Yahweh will plead their case
    and despoil those who despoil them of life.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 22:23 Or “soul,” or “inner self”

Saying 2

22 Do not exploit the poor(A) because they are poor
    and do not crush the needy in court,(B)
23 for the Lord will take up their case(C)
    and will exact life for life.(D)

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